By Mary Marvin, Mayor, Village of Bronxville

Nov. 17, 2021: This is the promised Part Two update on news and projects emanating from Village Hall.

First the financial side. We currently have a fund balance of $8.2 million or 45.6% of our total annual appropriation of $18,039,174. This does not include our American Rescue Plan Act payment of $325,000. Departmental revenue is down year to date $56,000 vs. budgeted with the lion’s share of losses from the parking permit line and meter revenue shortfalls. Our fine collection was also down $364,000 reflecting the lack of a working court for almost a year as well as less face to face stops due to the possible transmission of Covid.

The positive news is that parking meter revenue and parking permit sales are trending upward, though commuter buyouts are clearly lagging. To mitigate this shortfall, we continue to offer non-resident permits which are re-evaluated every quarter in an effort to keep the permits available to Village residents who may begin commuting again in the near future. We also continue the issuance of the new hybrid permits which offer up to twelve days of commuter parking per calendar month. Parking fine revenues currently are at 85% of pre-Covid but they are coming in as budgeted.

Going forward, in the next fiscal year’s budget, we anticipate increases in fuel prices and health insurance premiums hopefully offset by a corresponding decrease in our retirement fund payment.

We are initiating or continuing an unprecedented number of Capital Projects.

The following is just a sampling:

• Appreciating that the Village is rich in history but also has 150 years of underground piping and issues related to our age, we are embarking on many infrastructure repairs.
• A long overdue exterior painting of Village Hall has begun which was 20 years in the making.
• A reconfiguring of the library’s HVAC system which is so needed due to the system’s age and the need to preserve the important documents preserved in our history room.
• A complete review of the west side traffic circle with the goal of possible improvements. This project involves data collection and conceptual drawings with the hopes of improving what is not a 2021 optimal traffic pattern.
• Lights are being installed at the paddle courts which are an upgrade to LED lights.
• Two electric charging stations were installed in the Garden Avenue lot, with the ability to charge four cars, for the benefit of merchants and residents and complement the ones in the Kensington Road garage and the Parkway Road lot.
• We are working with contractors to upgrade the Bacon Woods staircase with the installation of concrete steps and railings, recognizing that this is an important pathway for our Sagamore Road residents to access the train station and the business district.
• The upgrading, cleaning and televising of our sewer system continues at an aggressive level. We are now in Phase 3 of televising, re-lining and repairing pipes throughout the Village using a triage method by focusing on the areas that have received the most flooding in recent storms. As a result, we continue concentrating on the area behind Park Avenue near the Women’s Club as well as Parkway Road and have added an initiative in the Sussex, Sherman, Hamilton, Argyle, Homesdale and Route 22 zone.

As the holiday season fast approaches, our merchants need your support now more than ever as they try to come out on the other side of Covid. Local patronage not only results in much needed sales for the merchants and the corresponding sales tax revenue that the Village receives but equally important local patronage sends a message to our merchants that their presence in the Village is valued and appreciated. Local purchasing is critical to the financial health of the Village and property values. On average, we receive approximately $1 million per year in sales tax revenue. Every $80,000 movement either in increased expenses or revenue losses equates to a one percentage tax increase on the Village government side of your tax bill. To put in perspective, if you purchased everything on Amazon last year, your Village tax bill would have reflected a 12% increase.

Recognizing the importance of a vital business district, a collaborative effort among Village government, the Chamber of Commerce, two local banks and a network of engaged local residents implemented a very innovative loan program to benefit Bronxville merchants after the devastating economic impact of Covid-19.

The loan program had two parts, the first of which was completed in mid-June.

Part I consisted of 16 separate, rapid-response $5,000 loans to first floor businesses. These one year loans are at a fixed rate of 0.18%.

Part II, which included larger multiyear loans at a rate not to exceed 3%, was open to a broader pool of Bronxville owner-operated businesses with Westchester Bank and Trustco Bank agreeing to be the low cost lenders. Twelve merchants took advantage of this program resulting in an outlay of $400,000.

These two loan programs were the direct result of your neighbors stepping up and recognizing that Bronxville would not be Bronxville without a thriving, vibrant business district. We can all help especially now during the holiday season.

Photo by N. Bower